Just north of the French border lies Chimay, a town in the Belgian forest of Mont du Secours. In 1850, Trappist monks built a Cistercian Abbey there as a place to study, pray, and work. In 1862, the monks added a dairy and a brewery to the Abbey to help generate funds for their livelihood. Soon, they started making cheese from milk produced at the dairy, which became quite popular at the local marketplace. Our Chimay cheese is a variation of their original recipe, but is even more special, as the rind is washed with their famous Chimay beer rather than ordinary spring water. This new variety developed an incomparable flavor that delighted the nose as well as the palate. The cheese is semi-soft and has a nutty, well-finished flavor with just a hint of hops and malt. While its aroma is quite strong, the taste of the cheese itself is somewhat mild but not at all bland.